Author Archives: dirtynailz

As a gardener, and someone who enjoys outdoor activities such as  skiing, I would like to have a general idea of how the coming winter is going to be. I know it’s impossible to know exactly, but you’d think that … Continue reading →

I don’t remember how I came across Elisabeth Tova Bailey’s book, “The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating” (Algonquin Books, 2010). I downloaded it on Kindle, and was so quickly drawn in that I could not put it down until … Continue reading →

  I love growing this red salvia because it attracts hummingbirds like a magnet. It’s been sitting outside in its container on the deck, because I like to collect the seeds for next year, and it also seeds itself in … Continue reading →

I am sure I’m not alone in my enjoyment of walks through historic cemeteries. One of the more significant – and beautiful – is the Juniper Hill garden cemetery in Bristol, RI, which, in 1998, was added to the National … Continue reading →

Oh, One Pie, you did make me suffer I love you so,there is no other Day after day at my local store The shelves were bare, there was no more I heard from others who love you, too They did … Continue reading →

Here’s Herbdoc with her autumn garden to-dos: The piece on Autumn Things brought a smile to my face and left me wondering if every veggie gardener in New England has a row of green tomatoes ripening on the window sill.  … Continue reading →

In my quest to understand and grow different orchid cultivars, I bought a haraella retrocalla at an Ocean State Orchid Society meeting and auction last spring. This orchid is tiny, and will stay that way. The only member of the … Continue reading →

I love living in a place where we have seasons. For me, the change of season isn’t the month on the calendar, it’s the feelings it gives me – and the memories. A whiff of wood smoke sends me right … Continue reading →

Here’s the second installment of former RI Master Gardener Paula Bartnick’s transition to her new home in Florida: (You can read Part 1 here) We have now completed several weeks of the Master Gardener training course here in Marion County, … Continue reading →

We are just back from a few days  in mid-coast Maine. Ever mindful of staying on top of The Blog, I visited a few stores there to assess the canned pumpkin puree situation. You may recall from my previous post … Continue reading →